Back from Japan and Tall People

I'm back! Japan (Hokkaido, Tokyo, Kyoto) with G and his parents was awesome!

Hokkaido was still snowy when we got there

Even construction sites were cute in Japan

Hardcore cherry blossom viewing marathon in Tokyo

Cutest ancient terra cotta figures (haniwa) ever!

Nighttime cherry blossom viewing in Kyoto
(despite the deceptively serene-looking photo, there were about 64 billion people around us at the time)

Anyway, we're settling back into our normal life and I actually have a ton of things to draw about, so I will start catching up on comics and drawings...!

Tokachi Roadtrip

I still have a bruise from where Rocky bit me. ha!

Nails

I'm very easily entertained...

Ramen

Japan is ramen paradise!

Pixelated Image

He was probably confused by the pixelated Skype video, but still.

Hi from Hakodate! Sorry for the crappy quality -- the lighting was bad in the room I'm staying in. But yes. Will post Hakodate comics soon! 

Temperature Difference

It's cold up here in Hokkaido in the winter, but I'm seriously glad I don't have to be sweating like a pig in the sweltering heat in Tokyo right now.

Hapiii

We went to the Rokkatei cafe the other day to celebrate mama's birthday. Rokkatei is my favourite  patisserie/cafe based in Hokkaido, and they have an awesome birthday deal: one free dessert, one free drink, and a super-duper harmonized rendition of Happy Birthday by the waitresses/waiters upon request. Highly, highly, highly recommended if you happen to be in Hokkaido! (Not just for the singing but for the desserts and sweets.)

Research

I'm mostly reading some autobiographical ones I picked out at random, Osamu Tezuka (Black Jack), Taiyo Matsumoto (Sunny), and Shigeru Mizuki (Gegege no Kitaro). So interesting to see how different the comic culture is in Japan.

Cleavage Sightings

This also probably has something to do with the fact that I'm in Hokkaido and not in Tokyo, but I still think the Japanese are a bit more shy about low-cut shirts and cleavages than in Europe.

Not that weird

Sorry for the irregular updates! I haven't quite organized my thoughts and impressions on being back in Japan for the first time in 3 years, but so far it hasn't been that strange. It also may be because I'm in a town I don't know that well (and not Tokyo) and things are a lot quieter here, but it's nice to see my parents and eat lots of Japanese food. But I do miss G and Berlin already . . . !

We haven't told her

Hello from Hokkaido! I'm glad my grandma doesn't know how to use the Internets . . .